80. Listening to Music Releases Dopamine in the Brain
Have you ever listened to a piece of music and experienced intense pleasure, even chills? Valorie Salimpoor (2011) and her team conducted research that shows that listening to music can release the neurotransmitter dopamine. Even anticipating music can release dopamine.
The researchers used Positron Emission Tomography scans, fMRI, and psychophysio-logical measures such as heart rate to measure reactions while people listened to music. The participants provided music that they said gave them intense pleasure and chills. The range of music included classical, folk, jazz, electronica, rock, pop, tango, and more.
Pleasure Versus Anticipated Pleasure
Salimpoor’s team saw the same pattern of brain ...
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